Young people’s perceptions of substance use norms and attitudes in the LGBT community
Abstract Objectives: Sexual minority young people (SMYP) show higher levels of substance use than their heterosexual counterparts. This study aims to test potential LGBT community‐specific reasons assumed to affect substance use and their relationships to LGBT community participation/connectedness a...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2021-02-01
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| Series: | Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1111/1753-6405.13053 |
| _version_ | 1797700244490682368 |
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| author | Daniel Demant Leanne M. Hides David J. Kavanagh Katherine M. White |
| author_facet | Daniel Demant Leanne M. Hides David J. Kavanagh Katherine M. White |
| author_sort | Daniel Demant |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Objectives: Sexual minority young people (SMYP) show higher levels of substance use than their heterosexual counterparts. This study aims to test potential LGBT community‐specific reasons assumed to affect substance use and their relationships to LGBT community participation/connectedness and substance use behaviour. Methods: Eight LGBT community‐specific reasons for substance use were tested in an online survey with 1,556 SMYP. Results: Respondents agreed that the LGBT community had liberal attitudes towards substance use (80.5%, n=1,079) and that the media portrayed substance use as a part of the community culture (66.5%, n=904). Participants disagreed that excessive partying is a part of the community (34.7%, n=470). Significant but weak correlations between reasons and community participation/connectedness or personal substance use behaviour were found. Subgroup analyses indicated male and gay/lesbian participants showed differential agreement levels to some of the reasons. Conclusion: Young people’s perceptions of substance use within the LGBT community are not associated with community participation/connectedness or personal substance use. Implications for public health: Further research is needed to better understand what factors lead to elevated levels of substance use in SMYP. This may assist in the development of adequate public health responses. Targeting problematic beliefs may have little impact on substance use in SMYP. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T04:18:46Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-293ddb19f0ff4a69aebbcf4c20869a78 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1326-0200 1753-6405 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T04:18:46Z |
| publishDate | 2021-02-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-293ddb19f0ff4a69aebbcf4c20869a782023-09-03T10:34:20ZengElsevierAustralian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health1326-02001753-64052021-02-01451202510.1111/1753-6405.13053Young people’s perceptions of substance use norms and attitudes in the LGBT communityDaniel Demant0Leanne M. Hides1David J. Kavanagh2Katherine M. White3School of Public Health, Faculty of Health University of Technology Sydney, New South WalesSchool of Psychology and Counselling, and Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation Faculty of Health, Queensland University of TechnologySchool of Psychology and Counselling, and Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation Faculty of Health, Queensland University of TechnologySchool of Psychology and Counselling, and Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation Faculty of Health, Queensland University of TechnologyAbstract Objectives: Sexual minority young people (SMYP) show higher levels of substance use than their heterosexual counterparts. This study aims to test potential LGBT community‐specific reasons assumed to affect substance use and their relationships to LGBT community participation/connectedness and substance use behaviour. Methods: Eight LGBT community‐specific reasons for substance use were tested in an online survey with 1,556 SMYP. Results: Respondents agreed that the LGBT community had liberal attitudes towards substance use (80.5%, n=1,079) and that the media portrayed substance use as a part of the community culture (66.5%, n=904). Participants disagreed that excessive partying is a part of the community (34.7%, n=470). Significant but weak correlations between reasons and community participation/connectedness or personal substance use behaviour were found. Subgroup analyses indicated male and gay/lesbian participants showed differential agreement levels to some of the reasons. Conclusion: Young people’s perceptions of substance use within the LGBT community are not associated with community participation/connectedness or personal substance use. Implications for public health: Further research is needed to better understand what factors lead to elevated levels of substance use in SMYP. This may assist in the development of adequate public health responses. Targeting problematic beliefs may have little impact on substance use in SMYP.https://doi.org/10.1111/1753-6405.13053sexual identitysubstance useLGBT communitycommunity connectednesscommunity participation |
| spellingShingle | Daniel Demant Leanne M. Hides David J. Kavanagh Katherine M. White Young people’s perceptions of substance use norms and attitudes in the LGBT community Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health sexual identity substance use LGBT community community connectedness community participation |
| title | Young people’s perceptions of substance use norms and attitudes in the LGBT community |
| title_full | Young people’s perceptions of substance use norms and attitudes in the LGBT community |
| title_fullStr | Young people’s perceptions of substance use norms and attitudes in the LGBT community |
| title_full_unstemmed | Young people’s perceptions of substance use norms and attitudes in the LGBT community |
| title_short | Young people’s perceptions of substance use norms and attitudes in the LGBT community |
| title_sort | young people s perceptions of substance use norms and attitudes in the lgbt community |
| topic | sexual identity substance use LGBT community community connectedness community participation |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1111/1753-6405.13053 |
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